Today is officially 1001 days since the 1st of January 2009, and the start of my 101 in 1001 list.

While I didn’t even finish writing the list in all that time it’s been interesting over the last couple of years to see what has remained relative to my interests, and to be reminded about how much my life has changed.

I never got that new lounge suite, or tickets to Germany. Life took a different direction and I went to Asia instead. I stopped caring about $2000 couches and learned to live with less.

I stopped counting all the new music I’d listened to and recipes I’d tried. Living with Brendan, Kate, and Jason exposed me to lots of new music and food.

I got a nicer camera and started to learn how to use it, moved houses a couple of times, got tattooed, finished a relationship that wasn’t working any more, fell in love again, quit my office job, and grew my jewellery business. It’s been a big couple of years.

A few things are obvious from the list: I need to read more actual books and be healthier. I didn’t quite make my goal of a week without sugary treats, I’m half way through a week now though. A few days too late.

This year I’m planning a list that I can complete in 365 days, between birthdays. A shorter time frame means I’m far more likely to keep the goals in mind and put in a little effort to get them done. Excited.

That’s how long till my first 101 Things in 1001 Days challenge ends.

If I’m completely honest with myself I haven’t taken this challenge seriously enough. For one, I haven’t even finished my list, and then there’s the matter of just being too lazy to DO the things I have written on the list. A combination of laze and ‘oh there’s still so much time to do everything’ has led to my inevitable failure. I don’t think I’ll do the 101 again, but instead will take on a different challenge. Probably from my birthday as it’s right after the 101 end date.

I have done a few things though it’s not completely dire. And I’ll try a bit harder to get a close to completion as possible.

Here’s what I’ve been doing the past couple of months:

• Tried and failed to blog for a whole month. I’ve just found a new 30 day challenge though, so I’ll give it another shot.
• Bought a DSLR
• Did a cartwheel (while drunk on New Years Eve)
• Got my weight back down to match how I started the year (and then put half of it back on over New Years)
• Made a trifle (for our flat xmas dinner)
• Watched new movies, made new food, and listened to new music
• Wore togs without board shorts in public. I haven’t quite had the confidence for the bikini yet.
• Swam in the sea
• Saw Harry Potter at midnight

As of now my list still only has 73 things on it. Some of those will be achieved in my travels through Asia, but I still need more. What do you recommend?

It’s still not looking good for Germany though.

While I’d love to go there, and to the arctic more than anything, I’m unwilling to travel alone. So I compromised and booked tickets to Asia instead. It’s where Brend was planning to go to, it’s where he can afford, and it’s somewhere he hasn’t been before. That makes it sound a little like it’s all give and no take, but it’s really not like that.

There’s no doubt I’ll get to Europe sometime in the next few years. In the mean time I’ll become invincible by diving in the deep end of travel – budget backpacking through developing and third world countries. And I’ll continue dreaming of polar bears and narwhals and the Northern Lights.

The plan is to not plan too much. We want to keep it simple so we don’t feel like we have to rush anywhere.

A night or two after arriving in Bangkok we’ll be on a train northwards to Chiang Mai to celebrate Songkran. Here’s hoping I don’t catch a terrible cold (or pneumonia :\) after 3 days of having water dumped on my head.

And this time it wasn’t on purpose (I hate boats).

Turns out National Blog Writing Month doesn’t coincide with National Novel Writing Month at all. It’s the month before. As in October. As in this month which is nearly over.

Not that I was actually motivated to blog in October.

Anyway, the point is that Brend is going to do NaNoWriMo and I had absolutely no idea how big an undertaking this was! 2000 words a day?! Even if the purpose is just to get it all on paper unedited it’s still a pretty massive undertaking.

In the mean time I’m avoiding anything that looks like work by pretending that I’m tidying my room. I have actually managed to get rid of a sack of rubbish, a sack of recyclable paper, 2 boxes of stuff I don’t want and a sack of clothes, but it’s taken me 3 weeks and my room still looks like a bomb went off. I’ve done no writing and am still too lazy to work on my business. I can’t even call myself a blogger any more.

So.

This is me being accountable.

I’m going to subject you to the raving in my head for a whole month.

p.s ‘like’ Cupcakes and Mace on facebook and you’ll get my new posts in your feed and info on new jewellery designs and colours and I’ll think you’re totally awesome.

With all of the extra excitement around here I neglected the blog more than usual last week. But do not worry. We are now returning to the usual late night postings and inane ramblings of a one Ms Constantine. Now bought to you by wireless keyboard (I’m so 2000 and late).

Friday the 2nd my big order for ModCloth got confirmed so we spent most of this week putting that together. Turns out I can’t handle that on top of normal orders and a blogging schedule and seeing how I get paid for the orders it was my blog that took the hit.

BIRTHDAY! Dinner was delicious (as always at Arashi) and Chickie Little made the most amazing cake! White chocolate mud cake with cream, chocolate, crushed maltesers, and a bit of baileys in the middle. It was so rich and amazing. And it was even decorated with pink sugar and cupcake candles. Best lady evah.

The Boy’s present was a wireless desktop set (keyboard and mouse) and a copy of The Matrix. It might seem like a lame present to some of you but let me just say the hunchback look is not a great one for a 24 year old (24!), and I was already well on my way before I got my laptop.
The Matrix has been on my 101 in 1001 list from the beginning. He also paid for dinner and candy on Sunday.

After dinner with friends I met up with a couple of cool ladies I found through blogging and twitter. It was awesome and we clicked straight away.

Saturday night involved more meetings with internet friends including Laura (from Friday night) and Jo (bottom left with the Perky Nah Nah supporter sign and stalkery necklace) two really great ladies that I love. I also got to have a brief chat with Katie who I also love and who is a skater in training. I started enjoying myself too much though and drank enough that I had to leave early and go spew in my hair.

Laura looking bad ass in her Smash Malice/Brutal Pageant crossover outfit

Thankfully the terrible stormy weather cleared up on Sunday and our picnic up the cost at Lindale went ahead as planned. We didn’t go to a farm show but We got Kapiti cheese and ice cream and The Boy bought me a whole bunch of candy! :D
The duckling and her mum kept us entertained for quite a while in the picnic area.

Finally the order got completed and packed. Now I just really hope the couriers pay attention to my fragile warning and everything arrives in the US in one piece.

Things are trucking along in the Cupcake Factory. We’ve had a couple of good weeks of sales which is promising. These are a few of the new designs, I’ll be showing you a few more on Friday for the competition! (or you could just go check out the shop)

My 101 in 1001 list is going sloooowly. Subscriber numbers are climbing steadily (yay, Hi!) and I should reach my goal of 200 soon.
I made ambrosia for the first time but didn’t take any photos. Woops.
Tattoo planning is under way, a book is being read, and I’ve tried a few new recipes.
The list of things I have not done however is longer.

The Boy has had some big projects on at work. He also made a model using cardboard and the laser cutter. That was a very long night for him followed by a full day of work. I forgive him for spending his spare time doing work though because he wears awesome paisley ties on occasion.

Chickie Little’s baby shower was on the 13th. It was lots of fun and very exciting to know that in 9 weeks (give or take) a brand new baby girl will be coming into the world.

All in a day in Wellington. The iceberg that was placed in the harbour last month was instead sitting in town at Queens Wharf.

And Gravity coffee bragging about how they’re not as discriminatory as all the other corporate fuckheads.

What would my life be without food? I got more free food from Wagamama. Learnt how to turn tortillas and garlic into delicious garlic tortilla things. Learnt that the breadmaker is great for making frittatas. And received a delicious gift of candy from my friend who had just visited USA, Canada, and Sweden. The orangey looking ones are maple syrup, so good. The NY squares are chocolate. The black box is “moose poo”, it’s a mix of liquorice and salt and tastes like ass.

Things have been kicking off for me in a big way the last few weeks. I decided to leave my job, started getting orders for my jewellery through Etsy, and have had a few late nights emailing customers trying to be the best darn customer service/company representative I can be.

I’ve beaten my “make and sell 10 items of jewellery” task well and truly already. I aimed a bit low on that one. I’m thinking the next goal should be to sell 1000 pieces in the next 2 years! :S Gotta aim high!

Since the February update I’ve:

• created a new blog header
• gained a few more subscribers
• added the completion of the ProBlogger 31DBBB to the list and started it
• gotten into the habit of making my lunch instead of buying it. It’s saved me heaps of money!
• quit my job!!!!
• purchased two new pairs of glasses
• watched some more movies in the IMDB top 500

It’s very exciting time right now!

• Design a new blog header. Did you see it?

Goals started this month

• Earn $2000 from blogging. I’ve got $136 with the current exchange rate, but it’s still in my paypal account.
• Find a fruit and vege juice I like and buy it with my groceries every week. I’ve been buying V8 juice with my groceries every week. It’s quite delicious even though it’s healthy!
• Create and sell 10 pieces of jewellery. I’ve created and listed some on Etsy. Now I just have to wait for the elusive first sale.

Other updates

• I’ve watched 62 of the top 250 IMDB movies, I’m aiming for 150
• I’ve watched 45 of the next 250 IMDB movies, I’m aiming for 100
• Progress has been made on me quitting my current customer service role, there is a chance I ccould be working in another area full time in a couple of weeks
• I listened to a whole host of new bands. Fire House; S.O.T.U; Warrant; Stryper; Saint Demon; Pink Cream 69; Lauren Harris and Fucking Lazy.

I’ve come to realise that I’m even lazier than I suspected. I’m doing lots of making, thinking, reading, and writing; but virtually no cooking, washing, putting away, or vacuuming. Thems the breaks when you work 40 hours in an office and then spend at least another 30 planning on ways to become independent of a boss.

Goals achieved this month

• Put a battery in the smoke alarm
• Get a copy of Wreck This Journal
• Change my hairstyle

Goals started this month

• Write the list
• Design a new blog header
• Complete Project 365
• Learn to use Photoshop
• Have 200 subscribers to cupcakesandmace.com
• Be on time to work (not 5 minutes late) 300 times
• Read 50 of the books on the Rory Gilmore Book List at listsofbests.com
• Listen to songs by 101 artists I’ve never listened to before

I need to get the list finished first and foremost so if you have any suggestions on what to add to it let me know!